What in the world was I thinking?
If we're honest, we'd all have to say we have asked ourselves that question on more than one occasion. We all make mistakes and missteps more often than we would care to admit.
Sometimes, we look back and wonder “What in the world was I thinking?”
That question hits right at the heart of the issue.
When we sin, it is because our thoughts have centered on things of the world instead of being focused upon the things of heaven. Our minds were set upon the impurities of the world rather than upon the holiness of God.
There is a great push in evangelical ministries today for purity among our youth. Slogans like True Love Waits, books, jewelry and other items promote abstinence until marriage.
This is a GOOD thing. Abstinence not only follows God's design, plan and commandments for both unmarried men and unmarried women, it is also the only 100% guaranteed way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies.
But, waiting until they reach the teen years to teach God's principles to our children can, in many cases, be too late. I'm not suggesting we have the “birds and the bees” talk with our kids before they are ready. I'm talking about preparing hearts and minds early on for choosing purity before God in every aspect of life through every stage of life.
Sinful conduct of any kind doesn't suddenly begin with the raging hormones of the teen years. It begins slowly, and over time, in the mind. The sinful act is the result of a thought or series of thoughts leading to consummation.
Proverbs 23:7 says, For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
→ Our thoughts are always followed by actions.
→ Actions are always preceded by our thoughts.
In reference to our minds, someone once said, “Garbage in. Garbage out.”
There is much truth in that statement. Whatever we allow in to fill our minds will eventually work its way back out through our words, attitudes and deeds.
As I look back upon the course of my life, I know this to be true.
My just about grown children like to joke about mom having been born when dinosaurs roamed the earth. What I'm about to share with you would provide more evidence to support their conclusion.
I have a rather embarrassing confession to make here...
For a while, when I was 11 or 12, I was completely infatuated with Barry Manilow (no comments from the peanut gallery on that one, please). Although my siblings and I were forbidden to listen to anything other than hymns and classical music, we were exposed to other genres at school and through friends.
One Christmas, my parents gave my older brother and I each a little blue transistor radio, complete with wrist strap and little ear phone. My brother was and is a sports fanatic. They knew what he would be listening to. Me? Not so much. I would lay in bed at night, soaking in the sounds of the top 40. (Yes, I was a brat.)
As I got a little older, my music interest changed dramatically from guy who wrote “the songs that make the whole world sing” to much of the popular music the early eighties had to offer. The message of much of that worldly music I chose to fill my mind with centered around the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).
My testimony is one of rebellion, repentance and redemption, but I'm not going to sit here and blame my past rebellion on music. Music played a significant role, however (at my own choice), in shaping my thinking, my approach to life and my later behavior, which caused me to turn around and ask myself, “What in the world was I thinking?”
The point here is not to paint certain genres of music as evil or unfit for Christians to listen to. The point is Proverbs 23:7 which says, For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
I was raised in a Christian home, repeated the words of “The Sinner's Prayer” in 1972, but was not actually saved by God's grace until 1984, walked away from God in 1988, recommitted my life to the Lord in 1993, and the big five-oh (50) is approaching much faster than I care to think about.
But, regardless of age or length of time in relationship with Jesus Christ, we all still need to be very cautious about the direction of our thought life. Why? I'm not perfect yet, and neither are you. There are still things I sometimes struggle with, just as you do.
Why the need for such caution?
→ Our minds are the battleground in our war with the enemy of our souls.
→ If the enemy can get us to doubt our position in Christ, get us to question the authenticity of God's Word and get us focused more on things of earth than upon the kingdom of heaven, he wins.
→ Where does defeat begin? In my head. In your head.
→ Where does victory begin? In my head. In your head.
For that reason, it is vital that we evaluate the things we allow to fill our minds. Whether provoked by the music we listen to, the television shows or movies we watch, the books we read, the gossip we choose to hear, or anything else that promotes the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, such thoughts have no place in the mind of a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Some Christians reading this may say, “Ann-Louise, you've gone a bit too far here. My music and my TV shows are just fine. Just because you were a rebel, that doesn't mean I will be.”
You're right, it doesn't.
→ But, liberty in Christ doesn't mean freedom to do whatever we please, nor does it mean we're free to play around at the edges of sin or sit on the fence between obedience and rebellion against God's Word.
As we observed above, “Garbage in. Garbage out.” The way we think, what we fill our minds with, will eventually be portrayed in who we are and what we do.
Remember Proverbs 23:7? For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
The Scriptures have a lot to say about the thought life.
Philippians 4:8 says, ...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Do the things I think about (the stuff I fill my mind with) line up with that?
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (Psalm 1:1)
God says we will be blessed if we don't follow the thoughts of the ungodly. What do you think might happen if we choose to think like the world?
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus... (Philippians 2:5). Read that verse in context and you'll find we are told to think like Jesus.
→ So, whatever I'm filling my mind with and whatever you're filling your mind with, we need to stop and ask ourselves, “What would Jesus think about this?”
The blessed man of Psalm 1 chooses not to think like the world and, instead, makes a much better choice.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
If our minds are filled with God's thoughts (as revealed in His Word), do you really think we would ever have to look back with the question, “What in the world was I thinking?”
You just read above some of what God has to say about your thinking and my thinking. We know what He thinks now.
→ A line has now been drawn in the sand of our minds. Will we choose the Lord's side or the world's side? Will we allow Him to shape our thinking or will will allow the world to shape our thinking?
Let's look, for a moment, at the armor of God as described in Ephesians 6:10-18. You've probably read it many times before, but let's take a fresh look...
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
This armor is provided to us by God to enable us to stand against the enemy. Our job is to put it on, having done all, to stand, right?
There is a progression in how we are to put this armor on.
First, were told, Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth. How do we wear this belt of truth? Just like the blessed man of Psalm 1: his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
We wear this belt of truth by filling our minds, our thoughts, with the Word of God.
Then, we're told to put on the breastplate of righteousness. Back to Proverbs 23 again... For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. If we fill our minds with the Word of God, our actions will follow those thoughts. We will live righteously.
The next part of this armor covers our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. How can we share God's truths with others before we know it and live it? Again, it comes back to delighting in the Word and meditating on it day and night, filling our minds with it.
Then we have the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Where does faith come from? Romans 10:17 tells us, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Once again, we are reminded to fill our minds with God's thoughts as revealed in His Word.
After the shield, we are to take the helmet of salvation.
Hey! Are you still with me here?
The helmet of salvation. What does a helmet do? It protects the head, right?
→ As we noted above, if the enemy can get us to doubt our position in Christ, get us to question the authenticity of God's Word and get us focused more on things of earth than upon the kingdom of heaven, he wins.
→ The majority of the enemy's schemes are aimed at our heads, at our minds, at our thoughts.
In the CEV, Proverbs 4:23 says, More than anything you guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.
→ Guard your mind. Protect your thinking.
How? By aligning our thinking with God's. How? Through His Word, of course.
So, now, having prepared for battle, filling our hearts with the Word of God, allowing His thoughts to fill our minds, now we are ready to go on the offensive with our weapon, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
How did Jesus fight off the attack of the enemy when He was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days? He set the bar and the example for us. His offense and defense was the Word of God, just as ours must be. But, it cannot be until we have filled our hearts and minds, our very being, with it.
When you're tempted in a certain area, God's Word has the defense and the offense to fight back against the enemy, but are we so rooted in the Word that we can give an answer? 2 Timothy 4:2 admonished us to be instant in season, out of season... That means ready to speak truth, ready to give an answer, ready to fight off the attacks of the enemy!
The last, but certainly not the least, piece of the armor is prayer. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
→ What is true prayer? True prayer is an act of coming into agreement with God.
Let me explain. We are told to pray in accordance with His will, which means aligning our thoughts with God's. Repentance is agreeing with God that we have sinned. Again, aligning our thoughts with His. Asking Him to shape us and mold us into the image of Christ, telling Him, “I surrender, Lord,” is another act of aligning our thoughts with His.
→ Remember, our thoughts are always followed by actions. Actions are always preceded by our thoughts. Whatever we allow in to fill our minds will eventually work its way back out through our words, attitudes and deeds. This is the message of purity that we need to promote to all Christians, young and old.
→ If every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (including me and you) would daily, moment by moment, align their thinking with both the Living Word and the written Word of God, we would never again have to look back and ask ourselves, “What in the world was I thinking?”
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